ONGARUE DISASTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2604, 10 July 1923, Page 3

ONGARUE DISASTER.

DOCTOR’S GRAPHIC STORY AT TNQUEST. SHORTAGE OF FIRST-AID APPLIANCES. NOT ENOUGH BREAKTNG-DOWN TOOLS. TWO AIORE DTE FROM INJURIES Taunnminui, July 7. The inquest on the bodies of the victims was opened this afternoon, lief ore Mr A. S. Laird, District Coroner. Mr R. M. Isaacs, District Railway Traffic Manager, appeared for tlic Department. Thomas Bnrtenshaw identified the body of Henry T. Ward. Deceased was a married man, about 47 years, with four children, ages 5 to 17. He lived at Benlev Street, St. Albans, Christchurch.

Albert Garfield Currie identified the body of' his brother, Laurence Watson Currie, the well-known boxer, aged seventeen years. He was a brass finisher by occupation. Frederick Burnside identified the body of Norman Leslie Waters, a single man, 25 years, who worked on bis father’s farm at Papatoetoe. Arthur William Hall, Papatoetoe, identified the body of William Retsclmket, aged twenty-two years, an orphan, single, no relatives. He owned about £3OO, which witness held in trust. Deceased worked for witness on his farm and went to Auckland to join Waters for Wellington.

Francis Henry Billings, of Feilding, bank officer, identified the body of his father, Thomas John Billings, aged 75 years, a retired farmer, living in Hirie Street, New Plymouth. He last saw him alive at Christmas. Deceased left one daughter dependent.

Dr. David Alfred Bathgate, of Turua, Hauraki Plains, described the accident. He was asleep in the last compartment of car D and was thrown on the floor with others by the impact. When they stood up they were thrown down again in a few seconds by another impact. Meanwhile a flash of flame showed that a gas cylinder had ignited. The doors were jambed and the passengers had to escape through the windows. He said the two front carriages were smashed and the front compartment of his car also. It

was quite dark, though near daybreak. Cries and screams for help eame from the first three carriages. The lights all went out. He got through a- window of the first carriage and, aided by matches, saw the interior was a confused mass of wreckage, with arms and legs sticking up. With the help of another man, witness got several people out of the window, some dead. A number of others were pinned down by the debris and could not be moved. He stood by these administering morphia and brandy. From there he went to the postal car and attended to the fireman. Then he came back to the wrecked carriages, continuing the work till the relief train arrived. Witness considered the train very short of antiseptics. In each medicine case lie only found one small bottle of pure lysol, which could not be applied raw. There were plenty of bandages, but pyeric acid and iodine would be more useful than pure lysol. Without breaking-down I mis they felt hopeless to get the men out who were pinned down and could only give narcotics. The suffering would have been alleviated if the tools were provided on every train. There was plenty of willing help from all the passengers, including the Maori footballers. He suggested that trains should be equipped with torniquets and light splints. Witness gave details of the injuries to several dead men and one woman whom he examined. Cross-examined by Mr Isaacs, Dr. Bathgate said he was not aware that the ambulance box in the van contained thigh splints in three parts, two arm splints and hand splints. The guard was there, but some other member of the railway staff gave his dressings. He did not ask the guard for splints, but improvised- some himself. He was not aware that breaking-down tools were provided in the guard’s van and did not ask for them. The Coroner remarked that lie should not have to ask for them. The guard should bring them. Mr Isaacs: T understand the guard did bring them. Cross-examined by the Coroner, witness said: “In my opinion there were not sufficient breaking-down tools until the relief train arrived.” Witness further repled to Mr Tsaaes that he could not say if the relief train arrived soon or within half an hour. The inquest was adjourned sine

die. TWO MORE DEATHS. Auckland, Last Night. Additional deaths in connection with the railway disaster are: A. M. Grant, police constable, Tewhaiti, end Benjamin Mears, of Mahirakau. The following are dangerously ill: W. F. Campbell, fireman of the locomotive; Joim Neale, of Mannwaru; C. MacFarlane, Tnkapnna; W. Collins of Auckland. ANOTHER VICTIM IDENTIFIED. Taumarunui, July 7. One of the unknown dead has now been identified as William C. Petsehuket, aged 22 years, an orphan and an inmate of the Dilworth Institute, Papatoetoe, Auckland.